1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular to a method and apparatus for an improved graphical user interface for a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for displaying items in a menu.
2. Description of Related Art
With today""s data processing systems, graphical user interfaces (GUIs) using windows are commonplace. Each window represents a workspace or an application that is currently open or executing on a data processing system. Within a window, a user may select and execute functions upon data within the window. This manipulation of data within a window is achieved through a pointer controlled by a pointing device. The pointing device may take various forms, such as a mouse, trackball, light pen, touchscreen, touchpad, and a keyboard. Through the pointing device, the pointer is moved on the screen and various graphical objects may be manipulated. The pointer contains a hot spot, which is a portion of the pointer that may actually manipulate graphical objects within the GUI.
For example, various functions, such as copy, cut, paste, and save, may be accessed by selecting a menu using a pointer. These menus may take various forms, such as a pull-down menu, which is displayed when the menu is selected from a menu bar. This menu bar is typically located at the top of a window. Menus also may take the form of a popup menu, which is displayed when a particular user input is received, such as the selection or depressing of a right mouse button. Oftentimes, these menus may contain long lists of items. These items may be user-selected or defined.
With long lists of items, the menu becomes aesthetically unpleasing and oftentimes cannot be displayed within a single menu. One solution is a ruler type solution in which arrows are present in the menu. One arrow may be selected to display items in which the items are pulled downward, while another arrow may be selected to display items in which the items are pulled upward. When items are pulled upward or downward undisplayed items become displayed. With this type of menu, additional items are displayed, using up more display space on the screen.
Another solution involves extending the display of the menu to the left or right side of the current menu display. The extension in this type of solution is based on which side of the menu has larger amounts of free space for display of items. The disadvantage of this approach is that the display area within the screen becomes covered by a large menu list. Yet another solution involves scrolling items in a window in a linear manner up and down using scroll bars. This solution requires additional user input to manipulate the scroll bar and if a desired item was missed at the beginning of the list and the user is at the end of the list, the user must scroll back up the list to reach the desired item.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for displaying menu items in a data processing system.
The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu. Displayed items are presented within the menu. The displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu. A graphical indicator is displayed in association with the menu. Items are displayed within the menu to show undisplayed items within the plurality of items in response to a selected user input to a pointing device.